The invention relates to a device for triggering a gas spring with an actuating device and an actuating member that is operatively connected to the actuating device and directly acts upon a terminal trigger of the gas spring.
Gas springs are known from practice in a great variety of types. Numerous gas springs comprise an integrated valve system, whereby the gas spring is infinitely variable and lockable in any position. In this instance, a piston is sealed against a pressure cylinder, and it separates two gas chambers from each other. When the valve is closed, the gas spring is locked and facilitates a blocking in the desired position. By actuating a trigger, which is usually constructed as a triggering stem, the valve is opened, and the gas spring can be positioned continuously. The extension speed and cushioning can be correspondingly varied by the selection of the nozzle in the piston.
Gas springs of the type under discussion may be used in many ways. Known from practice is the use of such gas springs in desk chairs. It is likewise possible to use gas springs for adjusting automobile seats or for moving solaria. Even desks can be vertically adjusted by gas springs.
The gas springs known from practice require an actuating member which operatively connects to an actuating device and directly acts upon a trigger provided on the end side of the gas spring. For example, in the case of desk chairs actuating members are used which are constructed in the form of simple levers that normally push directly on a trigger in an end region. Such a configuration of the actuating member has the enormous disadvantage that nonetheless substantial forces are required for triggering the gas spring. Added to this is the further disadvantage that the triggering is only difficult to regulate proportionally, so that in the case of considerable triggering forces an adjustment of the gas spring speed is practically not possible.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to design and construct as well as further develop a device for triggering a gas spring in such a manner as to permit a simple and reliable actuation with reduced triggering forces and with an infinitely variable regulation of the extension speed and the extended position.